Governor Charlie Crist
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The honeymoon is either over or is very near the end and newly elected Governor Charlie Crist, Tiger Bay’s next speaker, has a number of competing issues and interests to deal with. The 2008 Florida Legislature is in session and a “clash of philosophies is brewing between Crist and fellow Republican lawmakers who reject his ideas to balance the state budget through increasing gambling and spending reserves.” He championed Amendment 1, assured public school officials that schools would be “held harmless” if the Amendment passed, and continues to offer a bright future for Florida. However, there are increasing concerns as Florida’s economic outlook continues to decrease, local governments are actually beginning to cut services and personnel, and Florida’s state universities have determined that they have no choice but to close the doors to new students. As a popular governor of one of the nation’s largest states, and given his timely and influential endorsement of Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain, he has been identified as one of the national Vice Presidential candidates sure to make Senator McCain’s short list. In fact, one of the more famous quotes recently came from George LeMieux (Crist’s former chief of staff) when he stated “It’s electoral math. If Charlie Crist is chosen, you take Florida and put it in the bank.” An emerging question that is becoming more and more on the minds of Floridians should Crist be selected to run with McCain is “who will be left to confront the increasing and difficult economic needs of Florida? Please join us when we welcome Governor Charlie Crist to the Capital Tiger Bay Club on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at the Silver Slipper.